THE LAST OF US Review

The Last of Us is a post-apocalyptic survival horror game that released some months ago on June 14th. It's also the best game of the year and an example of what modern gaming has to offer. On the outside it doesn't appear much different than other zombie-related things. The Walking Dead, I am Legend, Dawn of the Dead, The Last of Us in concept looked to be another story taking place in a world overrun by mutants. In many ways that wouldn't be wrong, it isn't too different than those. It does however succeed in two things: cinematic quality and gameplay. Often it's one or the other with games, but with this one it's not only a video game but a movie-like experience too.

The story takes place twenty years after the world is infected with some kind of virus, turning the humans into mindless monsters. Only about 40% of the population remains. Joel is our main character, a smuggler who eventually comes into contact with a 14 year old girl named Ellie. Soon these two are thrust into a dangerous adventure to find the anti-government group known as the Fireflies because Ellie might hold the cure for the infection.

This is a very story based game, heavy on voice acting and characterizations. Characters that appear briefly, such as Bill, are made notable thanks to the game's excellent writing. Survival horror is a popular genre, and The Last of Us uses it well. Despite having an abundance of different weapons, you'll find yourself hiding and making plans to get out of every tight predicament alive. You can keep telling yourself it's just a game, but when you're in a dark room or a place surrounded by blinding spores, you're going to be feeling a sense of dread only the perfect horror film can replicate.

This being heavily story based, characters are of course a major factor. In the game's incredible prologue, we're introduced to Joel and his daughter Sarah. They have a very close relationship, it's nice. (And apparently, it appears he's a single parent.) Sarah is the first character you have control of. It's a unique and cinematic horror feel within that dark house. Slowly as you navigate you see on the TV about something chaotic happening. Soon you find yourself on the streets, in control of Joel as he runs while holding his daughter. What is he running from? Infected humans that have gone berserk and are trying to attack people. It's a scary scene, as you watch civilization crumble. There's so much people running and screaming with explosions all over that you have to wonder how amazing it will look when adapted for the big screen. At the end of the intro, Sarah is killed. We fast forward 20 years later...

So 20 years later the government appears to trying to be in control of the situation. There are quarantine zones housing the uninfected. Outside the walls lies the zombies and Fireflies, the latter being a group of anti-government people looking to get a cure. Here is when we're introduced to Joel's partner Tess. The story here is interestingly ambiguous. Are they more than friends? In the end it doesn't really matter, Tess was a great character and a lot of fun to have around. It's a shame she died, but I was expecting it, as I'm sure most were. She wasn't featured in any of the marketing or on the cover, so it's easy for the player to deduce that. But when she was alive, she was great, something of a modern Ripley.

It's hard to pinpoint an 'antagonist,' because there are none. The Infected are the background force. Throughout the story there are a couple of human antagonists. You see, while the Infected are the bad guys, the game doesn't shy away from making humans the main force. It perfectly showcases how savage and evil people can truly be in a world gone to chaos. The first 'antagonist' would be Robert, who is quickly dispatched by Tess. Now the second antagonist would be David, easily more notable. This guy is evil, but at first deceives Ellie and the player. In fact, he would be truly Ellie's enemy since Joel never really met him. The 'boss fight' against David was short but very intense as we saw how violent the 14 year old girl can be.

Then there's Marlene, the 'final boss' so to speak. She is established early on, apparently as a caretaker for Ellie before leaving her in Joel's hands. She's the leaders of the Fireflies, and eventually Joel brings Ellie to her in the final part of the game. She's not evil like David however, she believes what's she's doing is for the betterment of humankind. And she wouldn't technically be wrong. The recordings you find in the hospital shed light on her mindset, it was fantastic that Naughty Dog implemented those to make some players actually agree with her and question Joel's antics.

While all these characters are nicely developed, the game is carried through its two protagonists. Joel is a very interesting character. He's not exactly a Mario-like hero. The early scene where he shoots the guy trapped underneath debris comes to mind. Sure, the player thinks that's alright since the guy will end up just suffering there, and it's a cruel world. But as the game goes on, you see he's merciless. This doesn't make him an unlikable character, but by the end you may be questioning him. (The infamous doctor scene comes to mind.) 14 year old Ellie escapes the 'teenage girl ' tropes plagued in various media. Despite the over abundance use of her cursing, she's cool. She actually gets in on the action, proving to Joel that she's fantastic with a gun and knife. (Also arrows, when she goes all Katniss Everdeen later in the story when Joel is out of commission.)

The bond between the two is strengthened throughout the near 20 hour campaign. Somehow they go from her being cargo to Joel considering her as a second daughter. This brings us to an infamous part or the game, the ending. I personally thought it was very unsatisfying. Once the credits began to roll I was thinking, "That's it?" I won't deny that it's also smart, since Naughty Dog can technically build a series thanks to the non-ending. What I do like is that it makes the player think. Is Joel right in attempting to save Ellie and stop the doctors from extracting a cure for the virus, thus rendering her dead? Or is he being selfish because he only sees her as his second daughter and not thinking about the bigger picture? Is he right since Ellie never voluntarily said she was willing to die since she had been unconscious throughout the climax? This final part of the game is something that won't be forgotten anytime soon.

At every game's core however is how good the gameplay is. The Last of Us doesn't disappoint. It's third person and you get access to various types of weapons as you progress. From assault rifles to hatchets, the game lets the player have it. But, despite all that, you'll find yourself not wanting to rush into battle. This is especially where the gameplay succeeds, opportunity to make strategies. Sometimes it's not necessary to kill everyone to advance to the next stage, it's about just trying to get there quietly. There are numerous ways things could go down, it's all depending on the strategy made by the player. The environments are smartly done in every area that they give you a place to hide and formulate plans or for last second thinking.

Of course, the primary reason why everything's chaotic is because of those Matango-like zombies. They definitely do not disappoint, and are genuinely creepy. The game delivers one of the most annoying enemies of all time: Clickers. These things you can't fight with punches and it usually takes multiple bullets to take one out. And perhaps even more challenging are their final form, Bloaters. These brutes are the heavy hitters and always a challenge to bring down. The Infected differ from human enemies greatly. Sometimes they won't see you if you walk quietly, so it mixes up the strategy-making process between humans and zombies.

One of the best things The Last of Us succeeds in is generating genuine fear. I'll never forget some of those dark levels with the Infected. If you're playing at midnight with no lights on in some of those levels, it's going to be just as terrifying as the scariest movie you've ever seen. So when beautiful visuals such as the giraffes appear, it's a great contrast which the player can't help but watch. Seriously, the giraffe scene was so unexpected and beautiful. I can't wait to see how a film adaption will do it. The soundtrack isn't meant to be a focus, it's just there to deepen the impact of scenes and gameplay. It's definitely used very well.

Overall, The Last of Us is a truly unforgettable experience. It plays as if you were watching a movie. There's no chapters given, you just keep going. The story is very well done, fantastic writing and characterizations throughout. You feel for Ellie and root for Joel, even in some questionable circumstances. The game doesn't shy away from brutal violence, this is definitely the most violent title I've ever played. You will be making strategies throughout, whether it's against some of the human thugs or Infected. It's one of the finest offerings from the PS3. If it does get a movie adaptation, it could very well be one of, if not the greatest zombie film.

5/5

Trilogy Review: Resistance

First person shooters are abundant in the gaming world. It's popular because it truly puts the player into the game. They are the shooter in essence. Call of Duty is the most popular one today. While those are technically realistic, (well, aside from Nazi zombies) there are quite a few shooters that are science fiction and fantasy based. My personal favorite is the Sony exclusive series, Resistance.

Resistance: Fall of Man was a PS3 launch title way back in 2006. The story was engaging enough, being set in alternate history soon after World War 2 where creatures called the Chimera have taken over. There are virtually no real cutscenes, everything is said through narrated stills. This is perfectly fine for two reasons. This being a launch title, it was to show what the PS3 was capable of gameplay wise. And secondly, the game was downright terrifying in some parts.

Resistance somehow manages to balance plenty of button mashing shooting and horror. There's nothing scarier than being dropped into a battlezone where you have no idea what's happening. I'll never forget that first level in Fall of Man where I'm walking then at a corner a Chimera appears. Seven years later, Fall of Man still manages to be an engaging, and often terrifying ride.

Resistance 2 did away with the narrated stills and was slightly more cutscene driven. Finally we got see what exactly playing as Nathan Hale was really like. The game traded horror for a more science fiction shooter. The terror was still present, but to a lesser extent since you know what you're dealing with. Resistance 2 is also notable for introducing Dr. Malikov. It also introduced a Chimeran 'character' in the form of Daedalus which was pretty cool since it gave the story an actual villain instead of mindless foot soldiers.

Resistance 2 also had this ongoing subplot with Hale, he was slowly turning a Chimera. In the end, he's shot down by Joseph Capelli, who would go on to become the protagonist in the third game,

Resistance 3 is definitely the most story-based of the trilogy. It features plenty of CGI cutscenes and is character-centric. It spends its time in the opening parts showing us Joseph's wife and son. It's pretty nice how traditional the storyline is with these little things. Interestingly, it appears Joseph had a drastic character overhaul from the previous game. There he was a hard-nosed arrogant person, here he's the complete opposite. Sure, shooting down Hale changed him, but that drastically to the point where he's actually such a likeable protagonist? Pretty far-fetched, but we'll go with it since he's a good character to root for.

The gameplay isn't all that different, it's pretty much 100% identical to the previous two installments. It's still pretty scary and nerve-racking, but like the second one it can't come up with the dread the first one has. It's not really its fault however, by then we were used to the Chimera and on an active mission rather than never knowing what was coming like in Fall of Man. The most notable thing about Resistance 3 is the entire Graterford Prison level. This is by far one of the greatest video game levels I've ever played. There's such an amazing level of nerve-racking, dread, and fear throughout as you navigate this Hell on Earth. The ironic part is that the majority of it is occupied by humans, not Chimera! Sadly, there's no real final boss at the end of the game. I was hoping it would reveal some kind of evil mastermind to the whole operation.

Resistance 3 also gives a couple of pretty interesting scenes with the Feral Chimera against its military brethren. It's a shame the story didn't focus more on this, the scene with the Widowmaker demolishing the foot soldiers was fantastic. Unlike most horror-related things, this game has a very simple and nice ending. Joseph destroys the terraformer in New York and is reunited with his son and wife. It's simple, but a nice closure.

The Resistance trilogy rises above the usual first person shooter series. It's genuinely scary, to the point where you dread going into a dark tunnel cause you know something is going to pop up unexpectedly. There are two small console spin-offs I haven't had the luxury of playing. It's been said that there's no plans for any more games in the series. I think it's a shame, but who knows, maybe the PS4 will get one. And this trilogy is definitely ripe for a movie adaption.

LIMBO Review

LIMBO was once an exclusive Xbox Live Arcade title back in 2009. It later got ported to the PSN (which is how I played it) and Steam. I had heard quite a few interesting things about this game. I've heard how dark (in both senses) it was, and this giant spider that wanted to stab the main character to death. I was always intrigued by the concept, but never bothered to get it. After reading up on it more and how apparently it's a game 'all gamers should play,' I decided to download it for the price of $15. Recently I've managed to complete it, and wow. LIMBO is unlike any other game I've ever have played. It's not just a game, it's an experience. Keeping it from being perfect however is how short it is and not enough story background for interpretation.

Unsure of his sister's fate, a boy enters LIMBO

That's it. Only description of the story you're going to get. So you're kinda going in blind of what to expect, it's interesting. It's one of the things making this game so unique and engaging.You play as this unnamed boy who looks to be maybe 7, and apparently the goal is to find his sister who (now this is just what I think) is in a coma so he goes into the world of LIMBO to find her and...see if she's dead or not? The story is really how you interpret it. There are no 'cutscenes' or things that help you understand what's going on, you're just running. Along the way are many obstacles, and I mean obstacles. Spike traps, pits, boulders, razors that will literally cut you to pieces, among other things. Not to mention that for whatever crazy reason, there's a giant spider that wants to stab you to death. And then in the first act of the game there are these other nameless kids wanting to hunt you down. It's crazy, utter lunacy. It's a haunting game since you literally have no idea of what to expect. There's no intro or anything like that, it just starts with the boy waking up in a forest. From their the fun (or rather nightmare) begins.

This is a side-scrolling puzzle game. The puzzles are some of the smartest I've seen in a video game. For example, on one I kept trying to figure out over and over again until I decided to quit and try it the next day.  It was then that I figured it out. (Remember, when stuck on something, sometimes it's best to take a day break!) It's a really smart game that challenges your intelligence. Let's not forget the eerie feeling it gives. First you'll notice it's in black and white, with a very 'low' soundtrack. What I mean by that is the music isn't really a main focus, there are very few themes. Instead they're used sometimes to compliment the scene or make you feel prepared for something. In many instances you're most likely going to die a gruesome death before figuring out the puzzle, whether it being squished, drowning, or getting cut to pieces. It isn't gory, but it is a rather violent sight to behold. It really makes you want to avoid dying at all costs.

The first act is definitely something you won't be forgetting anytime soon. You're dropped in a black and white world, you have no idea what's happening. This game doesn't give you any warning, you're walking straight and then you see a boulder coming down, giving you a micro second to jump away. And then you run into the giant spider in a "Whoa, what the heck is that?" sequence as it tries to stab you. The most heart-pounding parts is when that thing chases you. Then the game decides to show you that you're not the only alive thing there, there are a bunch of other kids wanting to kill you for whatever reason. The first time we see one of them, they're running away and you're like "What the..." And then to make you wish you never should have bought this game, it treats you to a bunch of dead kids throughout the first act. Some that had drowned in the water, some dead from being hanged, and some in cages. Such nice sights to take in while playing at midnight. This is what LIMBO is all about, a creepy horror game that doesn't rely on gory scares, but rather subtle, simple scares thanks to the eeriness of it all.

Unfortunately, the game is really short. If you're really determined and have some hours to spare, you can beat it on a Friday night. I was shocked when I beat it so soon. The second act relies more on its puzzles than its eerie vibe, which I was kinda disappointed by. In the second act you no longer run into any of those crazy kids or any spiders. The ending is interesting, but too sudden. You don't feel quite satisfied when it changes to the credits. People have made lots of interpretations, but really, everything is too vague. Now for an 'open' game like this, I don't expect specific details, but I think more clues or something should been added. We have no idea what these kids mean, or the spider, or the ending. There's symbolism., but I would have liked a few more clues so the player can interpret it better. (I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think this game could use a sequel.) But overall, LIMBO is a game that yes, all gamers should play. It's an experience you won't be forgetting anytime soon. Unfortunately due to its short length and lack of clues for interpretation, it's not perfect. With a longer length and just a drop of more story, it would have been perfect. It's still worth the buy, so whether it be on the PS3, Xbox 360, or PC, you should give LIMBO a go.

8/10

Infamous 2 Review

Last year I traded in some old Gameboy Adance and Gamecube games in hopes of getting a $20 store credit. I wanted to get the Clash of the Titans for the PS3, but then the Gamestop guy said the game pretty much sucked. What followed was him showing me the best of the best, and then we came across Infamous. He explained that it was his favorite game on the system and went to say how great it was. I still wasn't convinced, I wanted Clash of the Titans. But it would look kinda strange picking it up without at least trying this other supposed great game, wouldn't it? I picked it up, and it was great. It is one of the best games I've ever played. Thanks to that little conversation, I had gotten a much better game worth every penny. (Seriously, it's only $27, pick it up if you haven't yet.) What's cool was that a sequel was announced beforehand, so I after I finished the first one, I got to follow the second one closely. It had big shoes to fill. Now that I've beaten it, I can say whether it succeeds as a sequel. Sorry to keep you waiting, on to the review!

The plot continues with Cole preparing for the attack.....but he soon realizes even he isn't close to being able to stop......THE BEAST. Cole is easily slapped away by its awesome power. THE BEAST completely eradicates Cole's hometown, Empire City. Now Cole is stuck in a city called New Marais. THE BEAST is coming after him, Cole has to find some way to power up if he hopes to have any chance of stopping it.

As you can see, the sequel, like the first, is a story-driven game. It's comic-book style, with unbelievable plot twists, and stellar voice acting. I've been reading comics for awhile, but there were some things I didn't see coming. That's how you tell a story, surprise people.

Like the first game, Infamous 2 is an open-world game. Thanks to the Spider-Man titles, I'm pretty much use to it. The difference, however, is that this open-world and its citizens are more life-like and realistic. No offense to the Spidey titles, (they are great games by the way) but the citizens there were like walking robots. In Infamous, you could go ahead and take anyone out if you wanted to. You could throw a grenade in the middle of the street, and watch the explosion rock people and cars alike. (Not that I do that, I'm Hero Side all the way.)

Both Infamous games put a strong emphasis on gameplay. You have street-level combos mixed in with the power of lightning. The engine is very tight, and it improves with number 2. You have satisfying combos with a finisher that is always awesome to behold. It's a good mixture of hand-to-hand combat with shooting thunderballs. What I like about this game, is that it carries over some of the moves from the first one, without having to re-learn them. I don't like it when a sequel makes you learn everything again and makes you go through some painfully easy stages in the beginning. *Cough*Legend of Zelda*Cough* (I am a big Zelda fan by the way.)

One of the few things I didn't like was that this game was a lot more mission-based. Yes, the first Infamous was also mission-based, but the story was kept at a good pace. In Infamous 2, with every vital mission moving the plot, there are two more that are just meant to kill time to prolong the game. Some missions are plain annoying, I also don't like that they added in the option to switch moves. There should be a set of moves, and that's it. Still, these two things shouldn't stop you from picking this bad boy up.

I miss Cole's old voice from the previous game. His new voice takes a little bit to get use to, but it's adequate. With that said, the voice acting is triple A class, with each character having a very distinctive voice. The soundtrack is good, it fits the atmosphere of the game well. (I would have liked some opera thrown in there.) Graphics wise, like the first Infamous, this game is a powerhouse. It boasts some really impressive graphics, and the framerate is always nice and steady. The monsters look mighty impressive, especially the Behemoth, it sports a very unique design. I would love to see that captured on the big screen. Of course, nothing could beat the imposing appearance of THE BEAST.

One of the big selling points of the first Infamous was the "good karma" and "bad karma" system. Basically, the game will sometimes give you choices to do right, or to do wrong. (Example: Save a guy from a prison cell, or electrocute him to take a Blast Core.) They said for Infamous 2, the decisions will be harder and more like "What's more wrong, this or that?" I am disappointed with the karma system in this game. If you have a moral conscience, you will always go with the good side. I was hoping for more harder decisions that would have to really make me think.

Overall, with it's cast of interesting characters, great story, and perfect gameplay, Infamous 2 is a must-own for any PS3 owner. Don't skip out on the first, which is just as good. Now that Cole is appearing in the upcoming Street Fighter X Tekken, he's making a mark on the video game world. Infamous 2 will engage from the start. I haven't really touched upon the  UGC. (User Generated Content.) This concept was first introduced in the all-star game: LittleBigPlanet. It's a fun little feature, adds some replay value, but thankfully isn't a main focus or gets in the way of the actual game. (I was afraid it would be more of a focus than the story.) Still, I have to wonder how on earth everyone has Cole's cell number, people randomly call him, even the villains!

9/10.

Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Review

Ah, Marvel vs. Capcom 3. This is the third in that series, and one of the most awaited games in the last decade. These games are known for their super addictive gameplay and their outrageous combos and finishers. This is where the hardcore gamers come in for some hours of brawling. This game had some pretty big hype, with a monthly countdown of the characters, this was meant to be the big all-out fighting game of the century. Does it succeed? Continue reading to find out.

I rented this game for a weekend a few months ago, (as of September 7th, I now own it) and it was some of the most fun I've ever had. The gameplay is just so wild and fun, that it's just hard to put the controller down. I tell myself that this battle would be the last battle, but I find myself wanting to do another one right after. Indeed, this game is probably the most fun and addictive fighting game I've ever played.

But it's not perfect.

Read this quote I took from an interview about the game's plot. ".....when we really started, the only thing we had in mind was that particular style of American comic, and the fact we put more weight behind the story came afterwards."

Really? REALLY?!

In another interview, they actually had the audacity to call the game's story "deep." Alright, before it came out, that was a major factor for me. I was expecting a big cutscene-driven story mode, and what did we get? Arcade. That's what we got. Simple arcade mode, with no story behind it. Just battles after battles.

The whole plot is basically told through these short "movies" you unlock. They are pretty spectacular, boasting some awesome graphics and great action. These videos were the ones they released during the months, so it gave you the illusion of a big story mode. Major fail there. Sure, you'll probably tell me that you don't buy a fighting game for its story mode, you buy it for fighting. True.....but this is not just an arcade game where you pop in a few quarters and use a joystick for a few rounds. This is a 60$ next gen game, I'm going to need more than a little arcade mode. Nintendo's Super Smash Bros. Brawl set the standards for a story within a fighting game, why couldn't this game follow it? This game is NOT story driven at all, despite what you might have heard.

The game boasts a great amount of characters.....um, excuse me, I meant an unacceptable amount. The previous game had 56, but this game is downgraded to 36. The excuse here is that the previous game had lots of "clones" for characters. (For non-video game people, clones are characters that use the same moveset as another character.) Fine, but that's still no excuse. Fighting games are supposed to have more characters as they go along. Super Smash Bros. Brawl had 35, nine more than its previous entry. Heck, Dragon Ball Z Budokai Tenkaichi 3 has over 100! You're going to tell me that you couldn't have surpassed 36? Nonsense.

Regarding the characters, they picked decently. However, you have to wonder why they would pick Taskmaster over Venom. I mean really? Yes, I was hugely disappointed that Spidey's nemesis didn't make the cut. Not even Carnage or Anti-Venom! Instead, we get MODOK. Who wants to play as a giant head? Not me. Capcom left out their own mascot, Megaman. The excuse? "He doesn't have enough powers." That.....that's just sad. I think Capcom wants to distance itself from Megaman completely. (Sorry Legends 3.)

I've been mocking this game a lot, haven't I? Don't get me wrong, it's still one of the most fun games you'll ever play. I never got the first two Marvel vs. Capcoms, (played those bad boys in the arcade a few times on vacation) so this whole thing was relatively new for me. Thanks to my old PS1 game Marvel Super Heroes, I learned pretty quickly. This game is one of those games where it's so easy to get completely annihilated if you don't get into the combos and really know the controls. The game features this beginner mode where the controls are simple for the rookie. I'd say skip that and just get to know the controls from a bunch of vs. rounds.

I played a few online matches in the game, and I would have to say that it has the greatest online mode I've ever played. Opponents come in fast, and there is no lag whatsoever. It's almost as if you were playing a local match! Nintendo could take a few pointers from this, their online really is bad sometimes. (I'm looking at you TMNT Smashup.)

In the battles, it's all about finding out what your best team is. It's good to play around with several different characters, each is very different. I use Spider-Man, Zero, and Iron Man. Spidey, cause he's my all-time favorite character, Zero, cause his sword skills I put to great use, and Iron Man for his uni-beam and finisher. A lot of times in fighting games, there seems to be a certain "unbalance." Like, if you are a pro with Sentinel, chances are that you would be very, very hard to beat. Like with Smash Bros, I notice that a lot of the pros use Meta Knight, cause he is definitely the most unbalanced of the roster, making him a superior character. MVC3 does a pretty good job with that, if you play your cards right, Sentinel won't be a problem. (Key: Iron Man's missiles and Zero's sword.)

I like how Marvel made sure to include nice references for the fans. If Cap beats Iron Man in a battle, he would say, "Just like Civil War!" It's those little moments that make this game shine. (Not to mention that it puts a smile on your face.) At the end of arcade mode, you have (you probably know this already) Galactus as the final boss. I'll give arcade mode props to that, the final boss is EPIC. Each character has their own ending, which was nice. (It doesn't make up for no story mode.)

Overall, Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is lacking in two severe categories: story and characters. They said that it would be story driven. Nope. I could forgive characters if Venom was included. (Fine, call me biased.) However, it still is probably the greatest fighting game to come out in the last ten years, good luck trying to put down the controller. It's also a lot more fun when you have someone to play with, trust me on that. Fast-paced, great characters, and a good amount of stages makes this game worth the money.

I give Marvel vs. Capcom 3 an 8/10.